Norcold no longer cooling

[nickilyn]

Hello fellow campers I am new to this site and I am looking for some advice on our Norcold fridge. We only camp occasionally and last year (around the 4th of July) it just stopped cooling all together. It is an older unit (our travel trailer is a 1993 Gulf Stream) but it is in beautiful shape. The kitchen was rarely used prior to us purchasing the unit in May of 2007 (it used to be a mobile sheriff station). Neither the fridge or the freezer cool anymore and I was wondering if anyone out there has any ideas.
Thank you in advance!!
Nicki

[Lamont]

Hello; First off
1.take off the outer door---see if you see (yellow) powder at bottom---if you do---it's gone---
2. if that's ok be sure you have 115 volts at the receptacle---if it's there--
if not---reset your GFI receptacle (might be in bathroom)
3. check for 12 volts the the terminal board there is a fuse there.Black box, and some units have another fuse else where to protect that circuit. you have to have 12 volts for it to work at all.
4. the gas Tank valve has to be on (open) the CO2 detector must be on to open the electric gas valve, of you have gas at stove top---your Ok there, but it always takes time to purge the air from the gas line.
good luck-
rich in Va.

[RV Wizard]

The refrigerator much be level during operation. If it was on and the unit was not level, irreversible damage to the cooling unit will result. Does the large tank and tubing above it get hot?

[Rick Allen]

I am jumping in on this discussion because my 1995 Norcold 2 way does not work..

It does have the yellow powder below the heater unit.

It is a two door 6182 model and will it be cheaper to get a replacement unit or get this one repaired?

I am about 250 miles south west of Denver and close to no place. I hope there is a repair place in Denver.

Or get a new unit, do they have better cooling or features that would make it reasonable to upgrade?

Thanks

[RV Wizard]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Allen I am jumping in on this discussion because my 1995 Norcold 2 way does not work.. It does have the yellow powder below the heater unit. It is a two door 6182 model and will it be cheaper to get a replacement unit or get this one repaired? I am about 250 miles south west of Denver and close to no place. I hope there is a repair place in Denver. Or get a new unit, do they have better cooling or features that would make it reasonable to upgrade? Thanks

Your cooling unit is definitely bad and will have to be replaced at the minimum. The least expensive cost is to repair the refrigerator if the rest of the box is in good condition. Otherwise you can replace the whole refrigerator.
I don't think you will get any better cooling from a properly installed, properly working older refrigerator than a likewise new one.
Good luck and keep us posted.

[Lamont]

morning rick allen
Personally If you have the time to take the reefer out and replace a Rebuilt unit that's what i would do--but if you live in the unit-it would possibley be troublesome to do it.
http://www.rvicebox.com/installation_instructions.htm
check out this web site see if they can help-
I Have NO connection with them
rich in Va.

[Rick Allen]

Thanks for the quick replies.

Replacement of the cooling unit looks like the best way to go. I will put one on order and go ahead and strip mine down to get it ready. The refrigerator looks new and does not have a lot of use.

[Lamont]

good luck---let us know how it all turns out
rich in Va.

[Rick Allen]

Back-up-and-running

I ordered a rebuilt cooling unit from RV Cooling Unit Warehouse two weeks ago, their price was very good ($400 + $100 deposit- Return Shipping via prepaid UPS label ), it arrived 7 days later, very well boxed and in great condition. The owner of this business David Force had sent me a file that stepped one through the replacement.

It took me about 5 hours from start to finish to replace the cooling unit ( next one should take about 3 hours for I know now what to do ). The only problem area was removing the 110 volt heater which was somewhat rusted in place, after soaking it in WD-40 overnight and adding heat to it it came out but I probably used too much force and the heater does not work any more, so David is sending me a replacement. I would suggest to order the heater along at the same time as the cooling unit, it is only $25.00 and if you get the old one out with ease and it still works then you have a spare.

I did have several questions and David was back with an e-mail answer or a phone call if requested, the longest I had to wait for an E-Mail answer was 4 hours and usually was with in an hour. Phone calls are answered by David and found him to be very pleasant to work with. Top Notch service and a very well re-built unit. With no question asked I would recommend using this company to supply my needs in the future.

[Lamont]

thanks for the reply Im glad it all worked out---take care
and Happy RV ing
rich n va.

[Rick Allen]

One last comment, The gas would not light off every time, David suggested that the spark gap needed to be set at 3/16 inch, did that and it fires off in about 1/4 second each and every time. The spark gap is that critical.

Rich in Colorado